Chapter 5
“Heh… Interesting.” Wenren Shan raised her eyebrows slightly. The dark golden floral mark between them seemed to sparkle in the morning light, glittering with tiny points of light. It was exceptionally beautiful.
What was this supposed to mean?
Not only was Wenren Shan not blaming her, but she actually found her interesting?
In that fleeting instant, something flashed through Tang Jingzhou’s mind, but she couldn’t quite grasp it.
While she was still puzzling over this, the system’s distinctive, emotionless voice sounded in her ear.
[Congratulations, Host! Side Mission Two has been completed. Unfortunately, there is no reward. From now on, notifications will no longer be issued upon mission completion. Host may check progress through the system interface. Thank you for your cooperation.]
As expected, her plan and actions had been correct!
As for the reward, after her previous experience, she wouldn’t feel particularly disappointed if all the rewards were going to be things like that “ordinary red thread.”
“Tang Jingzhou! What kind of way is that to speak?!”
An angry roar suddenly came from outside the door, startling Tang Jingzhou so badly that she jolted.
Immediately afterward, a slender figure swept into the room like a purple whirlwind.
Looking carefully, she saw that it was a beautiful woman dressed in luxurious silks and satins.
The woman stormed forward and promptly smacked Tang Jingzhou on the back of the head.
Smack!
Tang Jingzhou’s body lurched, and she tumbled straight off the bed, nearly having her life knocked out of her by that single slap.
She scrambled up from the floor, remained dazed for a moment, then clutched the back of her head and cried out in pain, “Mother! Be gentler! You’re going to beat your daughter stupid!”
“What a load of bullshit!”
The beautiful woman, none other than Tang Jingzhou’s mother in this life, planted her hands on her hips and glared fiercely at her. She extended one slender, jade-like finger and repeatedly jabbed Tang Jingzhou’s forehead.
“Do you think your own mother doesn’t know whether you’re stupid or not?”
Tang Jingzhou was pushed backward by the force of Madam Tang’s finger and nearly collided with Wenren Shan’s legs.
She hurriedly braced both hands against the floor and pleaded quietly, “Mother, lower your voice. We have a guest.”
She often suspected that her mother had been a bandit in a previous life. Otherwise, how could she be so violent?
She had no idea how her gentle, refined father had fallen in love with her.
Perhaps this was what people meant when they said opposites attracted.
Only then did Madam Tang seem to notice the other person in the room.
She immediately lowered her hand and assumed the expression of a gentle, virtuous lady. Reaching down, she pulled Tang Jingzhou up from the floor and chided affectionately, “You naughty child! Why are you sitting on the floor for no reason?”
Tang Jingzhou: …Mother, have you lost your memory?
Madam Tang brushed the dust from Tang Jingzhou’s clothes and gave Wenren Shan an apologetic smile.
“My daughter is mischievous and lacks proper manners. I hope you’ll forgive her.”
Wenren Shan rose and offered a graceful greeting, every movement displaying the elegance of a well-bred young lady.
She replied softly, “Sister Tang is straightforward and adorable. How could Shan’er possibly take offense?”
“You… you’re the youngest daughter of the Wen family, aren’t you?”
Madam Tang stepped forward and took Wenren Shan’s hand. After studying her closely, she said with a face full of affection, “You certainly seem like a well-mannered young lady. Completely different from our Zhou’er.”
As she spoke, she shot Tang Jingzhou another disappointed glare.
Watching her mother behave as though she were casually chatting with an old family friend, Tang Jingzhou broke into a cold sweat on her behalf.
Mother, do you have any idea who this so-called “well-mannered young lady” really is?
“You probably don’t know this, but your mother and I became sworn sisters many years ago. We promised that if one of us had a son and the other a daughter, we would arrange a marriage between them and become family through marriage as well. If we both had daughters or both had sons, the children would become sworn sisters or brothers.”
Wenren Shan looked toward Tang Jingzhou, her beautiful eyes sparkling as she said gently, “If I could have Zhou’er as my younger sister, I would be delighted.”
Madam Tang clapped her hands happily.
“Nothing could be better than seeing you two become such affectionate sisters!”
Wenren Shan remained seated for a short while before rising to excuse herself so she could discuss important matters in the reception hall.
Madam Tang couldn’t reasonably ask her to stay, so she stood to see her off.
Only after Wenren Shan had disappeared from sight did Madam Tang turn to Tang Jingzhou.
“Zhou’er, come here. Mother has something to tell you.”
Tang Jingzhou reluctantly approached.
Madam Tang gave her a light smack and scolded, “What’s wrong with you? Your Sister Wen has been away from home since childhood and has only just returned to Changzhou Prefecture. Instead of treating her properly as a guest, you said such rude things to her!”
“It’s not like I knew who she was…” Tang Jingzhou replied guiltily.
No one knew a daughter better than her mother.
Madam Tang rolled her eyes.
“Stop making excuses! Tell Mother the truth. Did you think she looked easy to bully, so you deliberately picked on her?”
Tang Jingzhou felt so wronged she could almost cough up blood.
So this was the kind of person her own mother thought she was? Someone who went around looking for trouble for no reason?
“You’d better not have.”
Madam Tang studied her suspiciously for a moment before continuing, “Over the next few days, make sure you entertain her properly. Take her around the city, or perhaps visit Bodhi Temple. I’ve heard there’s a highly accomplished monk residing there, and the bodhi-seed bracelets sold at the temple have even been blessed by a Buddhist Holy Son. They’re said to be very effective.”
She patted Tang Jingzhou’s head.
“Most importantly, get one for yourself to ward off misfortune and disaster.”
Her daughter had been fainting and injuring her legs lately. It really was time to do something about all that bad luck.
Tang Jingzhou couldn’t resist rolling her eyes.
What was there to see at Bodhi Temple?
People who prayed to gods and Buddhas were usually asking for marriage or children. And those so-called bodhi seeds—weren’t they just a gimmick promoted by the temple?
If she really wanted to pray for divine protection, she might as well worship Luo Ziyi and the others directly.
Despite thinking this, Tang Jingzhou obediently agreed and coaxed Madam Tang into leaving with a few pleasant words.
By the time Madam Tang went out, Luo Ziyi and her companions had also nearly finished their discussion.
Upon receiving a report from a maid, Tang Jingzhou hurriedly straightened her collar, casually wound the red thread around her wrist, and headed outside.
While the others were busy investigating the case, she was busy following the plot.
So far, she had successfully delivered two lines without suffering any serious consequences. Judging by the circumstances, she had even exceeded expectations.
Her confidence had swollen to unprecedented heights, and she intended to strike while the iron was hot by completing her third line.
She wandered toward the reception hall and happened to encounter Father Tang and Wenren Shan’s group coming out.
Tang Jingzhou narrowed her eyes.
She noticed Cousin Li standing behind her father with his hands tucked into his sleeves, maintaining a perfectly proper demeanor. Two people stood between him and Wenren Shan.
She couldn’t help feeling puzzled.
Hadn’t the original novel said that Cousin Li had fallen in love with Wenren Shan at first sight?
Admittedly, Tang Jingzhou thought it was quite remarkable that he could fall in love with someone whose face was concealed behind a veil, especially while completely overlooking the beauty of Luo Ziyi and Yan Wuwan.
But who was she to argue with what the author had written?
Tang Jingzhou pursed her lips and greeted her father respectfully before raising her head and giving Li Yi a sweet smile.
“Cousin Li.”
Li Yi’s eyes immediately lit up when he saw her.
“Cousin!”
Ignoring her father’s dark expression, Tang Jingzhou followed the characterization established in the original novel and approached Li Yi with a bright smile.
“Cousin, you’ve traveled such a long way. You must stay in Changzhou Prefecture for a few more days.”
Pretending to be secretly in love with Li Yi was rather difficult, but acting like a warm and hospitable host was easy enough.
According to what was supposed to happen next, Li Yi, Wenren Shan, and the other two women would all stay at the Tang residence.
When the original Tang Jingzhou went for a walk in the garden, she would stumble upon Li Yi and Wenren Shan alone together. That was what prompted her accusation of “seduction.”
But looking at Li Yi’s smiling face now, Tang Jingzhou couldn’t shake a faint feeling of unease.
Over the next few days, her ominous premonition came true.
Because Li Yi showed absolutely no romantic interest in Wenren Shan!
It would have been one thing if there was simply no attraction between them. Unfortunately, one lived in the eastern guest quarters while the other stayed in the western guest quarters. They could go an entire day without seeing each other.
As for taking walks in the garden?
Tang Jingzhou had run into Li Yi several times.
But Wenren Shan?
That woman never even went outside!
If the two of them never crossed paths, how was she supposed to shout her third line?
Tang Jingzhou was so anxious that she practically paced in circles.
Her cousin would be leaving the Tang residence in just a few days. If he left, wouldn’t her mission fail?
No!
If the mountain wouldn’t come to her, then she would go to the mountain!
Gritting her teeth, Tang Jingzhou decided to arrange an encounter herself.
After some thought, she deliberately selected two sheets of fragrant, cold-gold stationery and began writing letters.
One sheet was red and the other green, one for the man and one for the woman, following the traditional association of red with men and green with women.
“Should I write a love poem or just invite them directly?”
Tang Jingzhou instinctively started to call Cai’er over for advice, only to remember that she had already given the maid a year’s leave to return home and visit her family.
She scratched her head and decided to do both.
First, she copied out a love poem. Then she got straight to the point and invited each of them to meet in the garden.
Tang Jingzhou handled everything personally, without involving anyone else.
Not even the maids and servants knew what their young lady was secretly plotting.
After finishing the letters, Tang Jingzhou waited until Li Yi had gone out before delivering his letter.
Then, once Wenren Shan and her companions had also left, she crept into their guest quarters.
The rooms were all furnished in much the same way, and the three women’s rooms were located right beside one another.
It took Tang Jingzhou considerable effort to determine which one belonged to Wenren Shan.
She placed the letter on the writing desk and secured it with a paperweight.
After a moment’s thought, however, she felt this wasn’t quite reliable enough.
Picking up the brush again, she added a sentence at the end of the letter:
“I know your secret. If you don’t come, you’ll regret it.”
Although the words were somewhat provocative, what if Wenren Shan simply ignored the letter and threw it away?
Considering the woman’s personality, that was entirely possible.
But adding this sentence changed everything.
It was an unmistakable provocation, written in a tone that suggested the sender knew Wenren Shan’s secret.
Wouldn’t she become furious upon reading it?
Wouldn’t she be afraid that Luo Ziyi might discover her true identity?
Besides, Tang Jingzhou hadn’t signed either letter, so no one would know she’d written them.
Whether Li Yi liked Wenren Shan or not wouldn’t affect her plan.
She would hide near the artificial rockery ahead of time. Once the two met, she would jump out and catch them red-handed!
Tang Jingzhou stroked her chin, set down the brush, blew gently on the ink to dry it, and replaced the paperweight.
Then, confident that no one had seen her, she swaggered out of Wenren Shan’s room.
A fluffy red tail flashed past the paper window of the neighboring room.
A moment later, a beautiful young girl poked her head out through the window and curiously watched Tang Jingzhou’s departing figure.
How strange.
What was Miss Tang doing in Sister Wen’s room?
Delivering a letter?
After finishing everything, Tang Jingzhou returned to her room, feeling as though a huge weight had finally been lifted from her heart.
A mysterious smile appeared at the corners of her lips.
Everything was ready. All she needed now was for the right moment to arrive.
Next, she simply had to wait for Li Yi and Wenren Shan to appear.
She instructed a maid to keep watch at the entrance and report immediately as soon as either Li Yi or Wenren Shan returned.
Before Tang Jingzhou had even finished a cup of hot tea, the maid came to inform her that both had returned.
Not daring to waste a moment, Tang Jingzhou drained the tea in one gulp and hurried to the artificial rockery in the garden.
There, she concealed herself and patiently waited for the two to take their positions.
The moment Wenren Shan returned to her room, she keenly sensed that someone had been inside.
Her gaze swept across the room, and she immediately spotted the pale green letter.
Frowning, she picked it up and examined it.
Her eyebrows rose slightly.
A love poem?
The letter was written in elegant black characters on green paper. The handwriting was delicate and graceful, giving the entire letter a refined appearance.
Yet the wording at the end was extraordinarily arrogant.
Could it be someone from the Yanling Sect?
Or perhaps another rebellious faction?
Expressionlessly, Wenren Shan set the letter down. The corner of her mouth lifted into a cold smile.
Whoever had written it, she had no intention of falling for such a clumsy attempt to provoke her.
She was just about to throw the letter away when someone suddenly knocked on the door.
Opening it, she discovered that the visitor was Yan Wuwan.
Possessing the instincts of a small animal, Yan Wuwan was somewhat afraid of Wenren Shan.
Remembering what she’d witnessed earlier, she hesitantly stammered, “I-I saw Miss Tang come into your room carrying a green letter.”
Wenren Shan’s hand, which was still holding the letter, immediately paused.
A thoughtful expression crossed her face.
“You mean Tang Jingzhou?”
Yan Wuwan nodded and asked curiously, “What did Sister Tang write?”
Hearing this, Wenren Shan lowered her long eyelashes and smiled.
The corners of her eyes curved upward, seemingly tinged with a faint blush.
“What did she write? Nothing more than a love poem.”
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